Multiple slip ring



May 18, 1943 A, @RTE 2,319,443

L MULTIPLE SLIP RING `Filed Dec. 27, 1941 -`"flatcntccl May `18, 1943 UNTED-fsfrAT-S .PATENT om@ MULTIPSPRNG, o

i .Alfred corte, Giendaiecam.,

assignor, by mesne L assignments, to vVega Aircraft Corporation, a l

`corporatdon'o! Qalifornia Appucautaneeembeiinvention relatesto` improved multiple slip ring connectors especially adapted to carry` a number of electricalcircuits from 'aiiiredmemvinto a rotatlngor angularly movable' member,

such as a machinegun turret; Especially in a power operated turret,l trical .and/orfother types of connections for A ber, such as -theiuse1age or iloorA of an"-airplane,

cuite a number of elecand the movable assemblage is mounted in radial-'l traversing'- and elevating controls, interphone vlinwesfA il g controls. etc., all ofwhichhave to be l carried into the movable turret,`althou ghsome be' servo or relay circuits enerof which may 'gizing external or Vstationary driving' mechanisms, These requirements hold ,true for'either gunner occupied t or remote control turrets, since in the latter case at least the gun ring 'and .elevating controls must be, carriedI past, the traliersing pivot.r i r,

Various slip ring connections have beenheretofore proposed, such asjthe collector rings used with dynamos v and other electrical machinery,I as well as swivel connectors for various other purposes, but such arrangements normally use contacts,` whereas my inventionV involves Vthe, use: of.a plurality of insulated pairs of conducting rings `in-` terminal posts from each member of each pair extending parallel yto and equidistant fromihe axisfoi' rotationto provide coaxial rings of `connections above and below .the houslnggenclosingthe slip rings, one set of'connections rotating with the turret 'and the other `set being stationary' and electrically connectedto the corresponde'` ing terminal of the-"rotating set of connections,. through. one ofthe pairsofslip rings. iV

It is accordingly an object ofthis' invention to provide lan improved-'and simplied multiple slip ring connection whereinia-'plurality of pairs 'ofrelative rotatable rings serve to carry' a number.

of circuits into or out of a freely" rotatable strucfi. u

`It is aturther objectfbf this invention tofpro'f'V vide an improved and'simplified multiple slip ring connection" adapted to lbe arranged concentricv with the Laxis pt rotation of the member, parallel terminal 'postsV forming conveniently accessible rings of individual terminals for the movable and stationary electrical connections.

It is also `an object of this invention to provide multiple slip ring Vconnections of `thetype described wherein the electricalconnections are dis posed in concentric rings about a tubular bearing member whereby to leave the central part of said tubular member free for other `mechanical or brushfor ball Vsurface contactiwith each other, with gaieiigseriai 424,639 Q5. clanes, ictus-324) Itis a` further object of this invention to 'provide an improved multiple slip ring connection of the type described wherein theseveral pairs of Nrelatively movable rings are yieldingly mainf tained` under 'predetermined engaging Pressure antifriction bearings.

v `Other andfurther objects of thisinvention v will -become apparent asthe description ofthe invention pro ce`eds.`V o Y The/embodiment of this invention chosen 'for illustrative purposes is intended to' convey power,

*interphone and turret control circuits into a rotatable g-un turret for airplanes, such for exam-1 ple as disclosed in my prior application Serial l No.l 362,067, iiled October 21, i940, In the drawing: V n i l Figure Iis afragmental side elevation of a deviceV embodying the features oi' 'thisinvention. show nas mounted in a portion of a conical seat pedestal, the device being brokenawa'y in parts to show representative portions of lthe *interiorV fthereof. t f

' Figure 1I is a` somewhat enlarged central vertic l'section through the device of Figure I with parts thereof shownin elevation.

As rshownon .the drawing: The'specific embodime t A chosenffor illustrative purposes is shown as carried by -a platform I0 supportedin a conical shell II which forms a seat pedestal in my above identified application. lA

. central tube I2 is adaptedito rotate within the Y ,pedestal andprovides centralized support for the seat, which inthe turret mentionedis supported 'independently ofthe rotatable turret casing. but

movable therewith, fin order thatl the'gunner may face inthe direction the gunl points. In theabove mentioned turret rotation is not limited ineitlier direction, so that the tube I2 llikewise must be freeto rotate and provides a' central space for other types oi-connections if so desired.

VThe multiple slip' ring device `ofvthis comprises astationary Vhousing Il supported by the `1 ;1jatfomnl lo concentric with the tubej i 2, the housing having anjupper `closure It applied thereto. Both the housing Aclosure Il landrjthe I9 bears against the lower ecollar Ilandclainps it against a drum likespacing sleeve 20 interiluid connections to the rotating partofthe assemblage.

invention sleeve- 20 has a series of slots in its peripheryto form pockets for and lands 2| between terminals 22 which rotate with the tube I2, and project upwardly through the collar I6.

The housing I3 and its closure I4 contain an insulating shell 23 having slots or channels 24 in its inner surface to receive stationary terminals 2-5 which project down through the partitionv or platform I0. V Both the terminals 22 and 25 are provided with insulating sleeves 26 and are of variable length, preferably being stepped in progressive or spiral order to facilitate assembly. Each pair of the terminals 22 and 25 are respectively,l secured to a rotating Vslip ring 21 and a stationary ring 28 in contact with each other, the several pairs of rings 21 and 28 being insulated from adjacent pairs by insulating rings 29 and having ears 30 and 3I for the attachment of the terminals, the ears extending into the slots of the sleeve 20 and shell 23 respectively. The rotating rings 21 engage the spline like 'lands 2| and are driven thereby. The stack like arrangement of pairs of slip rings 21 and 28 and insulating rings 29 are arranged so that insulating rings L' 29-are provided above and below the end rings, and a channel like ring 32 confines a spring or series of springs 33 bearing on the topmost insulating ring. The lowermost ring 29 rests on the inner race of the lower bearing I5 and the channel-like ring 32 bears against the inner race of the top bearing, so that the several pairs of sliprings 21 and 28 are heldtogether by yielding pressure while the rotating rings 21 are forced to move as a unit by the ears 30 and splines extending into the slots in the sleeve 20, whileithe stationary rings 28 are held by the ears 3| and splines extending into the slots in the shell 23.

As previously mentioned, the terminals 22 and 25 are of varying length to reach the different pairs of slip rings 22 and 28, one'extreme being indicated at the left of Figure II, while several intermediate lengths are shown in the sectioned part of Figure I.

This arrangement produces a compact assemblage of multiple slip rings having a maximum contact area which reduces the contact -pressure required to` minimize electrical resistance, and consequently reduces the frictionalA resistance of the slip ring connections. It will be noted that the bearings I5 are not subjected to the axial pressure set up by the spring load on the slip ring assembly, which load is carried by the collars I6 and I1 which rotate with the tube I2 and rings 21.

Havingl thus described my invention and the present preferred embodiments thereof, I desire connect the interior of a rotating turret with the supporting body therefor, comprising a mast `rotatable with said turret, a housing associated with the body and disposed concentrically about said mast, a series of pairs of stationary and rotatposed |between the collars IB and I1. The spacer able contact rings. insulating rings disposed between adjacent pairs of contact rings, a series of progressively stepped terminals disposed parallel with said mast and rotatable therewith, each of said terminals being fastened to one of said rotary contact rings, and a second complementary set of progressively stepped terminals also disposed parallel to said mast and extending oppositely to said first mentioned terminals, said second complementary set of terminals being each fastened to one of said stationary contact rings.

2. A multiple electrical connector adapted to carry a series of electrical circuits into a rotatable body, comprising an annular stack of pairs of alternately rotatable and stationary slip rings, insulating rings disposed above, below, and between adjacent pairs of slip rings, complementary series of terminals concentrically arranged within and without said annular stack of rings and respectively connected to the rotatable and stationary rings, and supporting and clamping means engaging said stack of rings, said means therebetween including yielding means so constructed and arranged as to establish a predetermined contact pressure between said -pairs of rotatable and stationary slip rings.

3. A multiple electrical connector adapted 4to carry a series of electrical circuits into a rotatable body, comprising an annular stack of pairs of alternately rotatable and stationary slip rings, insulating rings disposed above, below, and between adjacent pairs of slip rings, and supporting and clamping means engaging said stack of rings, saidmeans including anti-friction bearing supports for the movable members which supports also engage the opposite ends of the' stack of slip and insulating rings.

4. A multiple electrical connector adapted to carry a series of electrical circuits into a' rotatable body, comprising an annular stack of .pairs of alternately rotatable and stationary slip rings, insulating rings disposed above, below, and between adjacent pairs of slip rings, and supporting and clamping means engaging said stack of rings, said means including anti-friction bearing supports for the movable .members which supports also engage the opposite ends of the stack of slip and insulating rings, and yielding means so constructed and arranged as to establish a predetermined contact pressure between said pairs of rotatable and stationary slip rings.

5. A multiple electrical connector adapted to carry a series of electrical circuits into a rotatable body, comprising an annular stack of pairs of alternately rotatable and stationary slip rings, insulating rings disposed above, below, and between adjacent pairs of slip` rings, insulating shells disposed inside and outside said stack of rings, said 'shells being longitudinally slotted on the surfacesfacing said rings, and terminals disposed in the slots in said shells, being connected to the slip rings and extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom whereby to provide binding posts for the various electrical circuits connected through the pairs of slip rings.

' ALFRED CORTE. 

